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Fajitas Fracas: Last year, it was the taco war. Mexican-style fast-food chains kept lowering the price of their basic taco to the point where Taco Bell was selling a miniaturized version--since discontinued--for 39 cents.

This year, a fajita war is shaping up.

Taco Bell, based in Irvine, is flooding the airwaves with ads featuring Little Richard and the Diet Pepsi “uh-huh” backup singers to unveil its chicken and steak fajitas, a sizzling concoction of tomatoes, grilled onions and peppers, cheese and meat wrapped up in a tortilla.

Now comes the Green Burrito chain with its own new Fajitas De Pollo in a burrito, soft taco and tostada version. The smaller Anaheim chain’s version costs more than Taco Bell’s--$1.29 versus 99 cents--but it is banking that the Green Burrito version will be considered more authentic and a better value.

“Our goal was to develop a chicken item with a unique taste,” said Ruben Rodriquez, chairman of Green Burrito parent GB Foods Inc. in Anaheim. “Based on our in-store customer research, we’ve done just that.”